Mather freshman's skull fractured in Edgewater attack

A 14-year-old boy severely beaten in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood was able to talk to detectives today after undergoing surgery for a fractured skull, police said.

The boy, a freshman at Mather High School, was chased down the 6300 block of North Paulina Street on Wednesday evening by three males who beat him, police said. One hit him with a pipe, they said.

"The victim spoke briefly with detectives and was able to relay some details of the incident," Police Officer Gabrielle Lesniak said. "His account is still a little shaky."

The boy was in critical condition at Children's Memorial Hospital but expected to live, police said. No one is in custody, but officers believe the beating is gang-related, Police Supt. Jody Weis said.

"That doesn't take away from the violence that he faced," said Weis, who indicated that police have identified members of a particular gang as the assailants.

Aurica Bosneac was planting flowers in her front yard when she heard the boys cursing and running down the street, she said. When they started fighting, she ran inside and called 911. As soon as she hung up, she looked out and saw the boy in the street.

"He was lying facedown moaning, trying to get up, but he couldn't," Bosneac said. "There was blood on the back of his head."

On Thursday morning neighbors and nannies were casually strolling down the block with children in tow. Although they feel safe, many residents said teenagers have been terrorizing the neighborhood lately, especially after school lets out.

The quiet street is a few blocks from the Rogers Park Police District station and is near Mather. The neighborhood does, however, have pockets of poverty and violence.

Chris Jones, principal at Mather, said the victim of the beating just started at the school this fall and his attendance was spotty. While the violence that felled the boy is not uncommon, Jones said, the school is safe.